Centrifugal separator



July 10, 1923.

H. FELDMEIER CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed Oct. 26. 1920 3 Skeetsheat. 1

V I V L A rrokms x5,

.Fuly 10, 1923.

H. FELDMEIER CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed Oct. 26, 1920 3 Shams-Sheet 3 Patented July 10, 1923.

Haley's? rn nMnIER, or LITTLE FALLS, new YORK, AssIeNoa T D. H. BURRELL a 00., rim, or LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

CENTBIFUGAL SEPABATOR.

iApplication filed October 26, 1920. Serial No. 419,652.

To all whomtt may 00mm.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY FELDMEIER, a-

citizen of 'the United States, residing at "tion'.

rators, of whiehth'e following is a 'specifica 'This" invention relates to centrifugal" liquid or cream separators of the kind in l which the separating bowl is mounted upon incident tothe manufacture and assembling the upper end of a rotary spindle which is driven by gearing connecting the spindle with an operating crank shaft. The inven F tion relates more particularly to improveinents inthe construction of the hollow frame of the machine in which the drive gearin gfor thebowl is housed and on which the bowl is mounted.

One object of the invention is to produce" H usual horlzontal, rectangular flange 12 havan efficient and desirable centrifugal separator in which the hollowframe of the ma-' chine is constructed so asto reduce to the minimum the number, weight and size of parts and to lessen the labor and expense .of the machine. Another object is to conseparable parts of the gear case located so as to enable the bowl drive gearing and bearings to be splash lubricated without necessitating a packed joint for the case. Other objects are to simplify andimprove the construction of centrifugal separators in the otherrespectshereinafter described and set "forth in'the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a centrifugal separating machine embodying the invention.

' Fig. 2 isa section "line 2+2, Fig. 1. i i Fig; 3 is a bottom plan view of thetop "member of the frame. I Fig. '45 is a sectional plan chine on line 4l4 Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the 'body or lower part of the frameorcasing. A- represents the bowl of a centrifugal cream separator, andB the upright spindle 5 on the upper end of which the bowl issupported and which is rotated by drive mecha nism preferably comprising a hand operated crank shaft' 'O on awhichiis secureda gear al elevation thereof on view of the masp indle.

vided with a spiral gear Gmeshing with a spiral pinion or worm H on the bowl The separator bowl is preferably constructed as hereinafter described.

The bowl and its drive mechanism are mounted on a supporting frame which is preferably constructed as follows: This frame comprises an upright, hollow body or lower portion 10 which is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, and a separate-piece top 11. The body 10 is usually mounted on a stand or base (not shown) so as to support the bowl and operating mechanism at the desired elevation, and the lower end of the body 10 is suitably constructed for securingit on the base. Preferably the body is provided at its lower end with the ing an upstanding rim 13 and forming a drip pan, and is provided between its ends with a horizontal partition 14 forming an upper chamber or gearcase 15 in which the drive gearing for thebowl spindle is housed,

" and which is adapted to contain oil for lubricating the gearing and bearings.

The body 10 and top 11 are separable at horizontal circular joint formed by complementary circular parts on the upper end of the hollow body and on the under side lugs 20 in'the body 10. Thebowl spindle B -'is journaled in upper and lower bearings of the usual or any suitable kind supported respectively by the top 11 and in the hollow body 10. The lower bearing 21 shown, is

a ball bearing seated in a socket 22 in the horizontal partitionld of the body, while i the upper bearing consists of the usual self centering bushing 23 in which the spindle turns, and which is yieldingly centered in an opening 24 in the top 11 by suitable springs surrounding the bushing A cap 25 soldered or otherwisesuitably secured to the bushing, and looselysecured on a flange.

around the opening 24, supports the bushing loosely in the'opening but permits the desired lateral play of the bushing. This cap also helps to prevent slop or liquid from going down into the gear case. A collar secured on the spindle below the bushing 23, holds the spindle in the frame when the bowl is removed, otherwise the spindle would come out when removing the bowl, which would be inconvenient on account of the oil that is on the spindle. The cap 25 prevents the bearing itself from being lifted out by the collar when the bowl is lifted, which tendsto carry the spindle with it by friction. i

The top 11 is provided on its upper side with a circular flange or seat 26 concentric with the'opening 24 for the bowl spindle but eccentric with relation to the circular joint between the top 11 and the body 10.

a The bottom receiving pan for the separated liquid is seated and confined in this seat 26 so that the tinware or skim-milk and cream receiving pans 27 and 28 and the bowl casing 29 which encloses the separating bowl, and which are seated one upon the other, are thus disposed eccentrically above the hollow cylindrical body portion of the frame. The eccentricity is only sufficient to enable the bowl spindle with its bearings and worm to be located within the hollow frame in proper relation to the spiral gear wheel G on the intermediate shaft, thus enabling the frame to be made with a minimum amount of metal.

The circular joint between the body 10 and top 11 and the circular seat 26 for the tinware can be readily machined to size by turning, and the joint between the body and top is disposed well above the bearings for the intermediate shaft F and above the level of the oil in the gear case. It is therefore not necessary to pack this joint in order to prevent the oil from working out of the gear case through the joint. The construction described also provides for splash lubrication of all of the bearings, except those for the crank shaft C, by oil in the bottom of the gear case. The oil can be introduced into the gear case through any suitable filling opening or device 30. In order to ensure more perfect lubrication of the upper hearing for the bowl spindle by oil thrown off from the spiral gear G, the top 11 is formed so as to provide on its under side a cavity 31 which converges upwardly to the hearing 23 which projects down through the opening 24. This construction obviates the necessity for a separate oiling device for the upper bearing 23.

j The intermediate shaft F is preferably, as

shown, journaled in bushings 32 which are removably secured, as by set screws 83, in holes extending through the walls and thelugs 20 at the opposite sides of the hollow body 10. The holes for the bushings are preferably large enough for the passage of the pinion E on the outer end of the shaft F, so that when the bushings are released they and the shaft can be inserted and removed endwise through the bushing holes. The spiral gear wheel G is loose on the shaft F and is caused to turn therewith when the shaft is turned in one direction while being free to run when the shaft is stopped, by means of a suitable ratchet device preferably consisting of a pin 34 arranged to slide freely endwise in a transverse hole in the shaft and extending into a scroll shaped recess 35 with an abrupt shoulder 36 in the hub of the spiral gear. This construction forms an exceedingly simple ratchet connection and the ratchet pin 34 also serves to hold the gear wheel G from endwise movement on the shaft F, since the hub ofthe wheel is confined between the ratchet pin and one of the bearing bushings 32. After loosening the bushings th gear wheel G can be moved endwise on the shaft to permit the removal of the ratchet pin. The shaft can then be withdrawn from the wheel and the latter-removed from the gear casing. These parts are assembled by a reversal of this procedure.

The crank shaft C is suitably j ournaled on hearing standards 37 which are preferably formed integrally with and extend upwardly from the top 11.

The separator bowl A shown comprises a circular bottom 40 provided with an integral, upwardly extending, central hub 41, and an inverted, cup-shaped, open bottomed shell 42 which is clamped tightly on the bowl bottom by a nut 43 which is screwed on the threaded upper end of the central hub 41 and bears against the top of the shell. The nut preferably extends down through a central hole in the top of the shell and is hollow, forming in effect, a hollow upper extension of the bowl hub 41, and has one or more lateral holes 44 through which the liquid to be separated enters the bowl. Preferably. the lower end of the shell fits around the cylindrical periphery of the bowl bottom above an outwardly extending flange thereon, and a tight joint is made by a suitable gasket or packing ring 45 which is confined in a peripheral. groove in the bowl bottom. The upper portion of the periphery of the bottom is reduced in diameter to form an annular milk channel 46 between the same and the surrounding wall of the bowl shell. The whole milk or liquid to be separated is fed into the bowl through the hollow nut 43 and passes therefrom into the upper portion of the bowl. The skim-milk or heavier liquid is discharged from the bottom of the bowl through the annular channel 46 and flange 49 depending from the bottom of the bowl. Any desired number of the exit passages 47 can be used.

50 represents the exit hole for the cream or lighter liquid. This hole extends through the bottom of the bowl near its center into the throat 48 and is preferably made eccentrically in a screw plug which can be turned for adjusting the exit hole relatively to the axis of the bowl, in a well known manner. The cream flows from this exit hole down the inner surface of the throat flange 49 and escapes through a hole 51 in the side thereof, the cream being prevented from mixing with the milk in the throat 48 by an internal U-shaped rib 52 on the flange 49 which forms a flow channel for the cream.

The separator bowl can be removably secured on the spindle to turn therewith in any suitable manner, for instance by the usual flat sided plug 53 secured in the hollow hub of the bowl and engaging a flat side on the upper end of the spindle which fits into the hub. 54 indicates the usual separator blades in the bowl.

I claim as my invention 1. In a centrifugal separating machine, a bowl supporting frame comprising a hollow body and a top removably secured thereon and forming a support for a receptacle for separated liquid, the joint between said top and body being circular and said top having a circular seat for said receptacle eccentric to said circular joint.

2. In a centrifugal separating machine, a bowl supporting frame comprising a hollow body and a top removably secured thereon and forming a support for a receptacle for separated liquid, said top having on its under side a circular joint flange which fits the circular upper end of the hollow body, and on its upper side a circular seat eccentrio to said joint flange for holding a receptacle in place on said top.

3. In a centrifugal separating machine, a bowl supporting frame comprising a hollow body and a top removably secured thereon, said hollow body forming an oil receptacle, a bowl spindle extending through a hole in said top into said hollow body, and drive mechanism for said spindle including a shaft journaled in said body and connected to said spindle b-y gearing housed in said hollow body, the joint between said frame top and body being located above the bearings for said shaft.

4. In a centrifugal separating machine, a bowl supporting frame comprising a hollow body and a top removably secured thereon, said hollow body forming an oil receptacle, a bowl spindle extending through a hole in said top into said hollow body, a bearing for said spindle located in said hole in the top, and drive mechanism for said spindle including a wheel in said oil receptacle and adapted to dip into oil therein, said top having in its under side a cavity leading to said hole for directing oil thrown off from said wheel to said spindle bearing.

5. In a centrifugal separating machine, a bowl supporting frame comprising a hollow body and a. top removably secured thereon, said hollow body forming an oil receptacle, a bowl spindle extending through a hole in said top into said hollow body, a bearing for said spindle located in said hole in the top, a cap secured to said bearing and attached to said top over said hole for covering the hole and loosely retaining the bearing in the hole, and a collar on said spindle adapted to engage said bearing to prevent the spindle from being pulled out of the bearing.

6. In a centrifugal separating machine, the combination with a separating bowl, and a receptacle located below the bowl for receiving separated liquid from the bowl, of a bowl-supporting frame comprising a hollow body and a top removably secured on the body and forming a support for said receptacle, the joint between said top and body being circular, and said top having a circular seat for said receptacles, which seat is eccentric to said circular joint.

7. In a centrifugal liquid separating machine, the combination with a separating bowl, drive gearing for the bowl, and a receptacle arranged concentrically with the bowl for receiving separated liquid from the bowl, of a bowl-supporting frame compri ing a hollow body in which said drive gearing is housed, and a top removably secured on said body and supporting said receptacle, the joint between said top and body being formed by circular parts of the top and body, and said top having a circular seat for said receptacle which seat is eccentric to said circular joint parts.

8. In a centrifugal liquid separating ma chine, the combination with a separating bowl, drive gearing for the bowl, and a receptacle arranged concentrically with the bowl for receiving separated liquid from the bowl, of a bowl-supporting frame comprising a hollow body in which said drive gear- "ig is housed, and a top removably secured on said body and supporting said receptacle, said hollow body having a circular upper end through which said drive gearing is removable, and said top having a circular under part closing the upper end of said body and having at its upper side a circular seat for said receptacle, which seat is eccentric to said circular under part.

Witness my hand this 22d day of October,

HARVEY FELDMEIER. Witnesses GEo. I. DALE, JEssrE E. MERCHANT. 

